The borehole of a well may be oriented in any direction. For example, vertical, horizontal, or deviated boreholes may be used to penetrate a subterranean formation. Moreover, a well may contain multiple branching lateral boreholes off the primary borehole. These types of wells may be referred to as “multilateral wells” and may comprise a primary borehole with at least one lateral borehole which branches off and extends from the primary borehole into the surrounding subterranean formation.
The lateral borehole of the multilateral well may be completed after the main primary borehole. For example, the lateral borehole may be formed by running a drill string into the primary borehole and then extending the drill string through a milled or preformed opening in the casing of the primary borehole where the drill string may then be used to drill into the surrounding formation to form the lateral borehole. The lateral borehole needs to be angled off the primary borehole in order to be drilled through the opening in the casing and in the desired direction and orientation. This angling and orienting of the lateral borehole is performed through the use of a lateral deflector. A “lateral deflector” (e.g., a whipstock) refers to any piece of borehole equipment which comprises a surface used to deflect the drill string such that the deflected drill string may be angled to drill the lateral borehole at the desired orientation. The lateral deflector may be placed at the desired junction point prior to drilling the lateral borehole and anchored in place or run-in on a string, conduit, etc. placed in the primary borehole.
One problem of multilateral wells is that intelligent systems (e.g., intelligent completions systems) requiring surface control or communication may not be used below the junction point of the lateral borehole when the lateral deflector is in place. This occurs because the lateral deflector blocks coupling of control lines downhole of the junction and also because the inner diameter of the primary borehole must remain clear of any equipment while the drill string is used to drill the lateral borehole. Any equipment inside the inner diameter of the primary borehole may be damaged by the drill string during the drilling operation. Another issue is that completion of the lateral borehole requires that the dual tubular string does not damage any equipment as it is run into the primary borehole and down to the junction point. As such, any equipment susceptible to contact damage from the dual tubular string must be shielded from such contact during run-in.
The illustrated figures are only exemplary and are not intended to assert or imply any limitation with regard to the environment, architecture, design, or process in which different examples may be implemented.